Japan has decided to phase out its attack helicopters in favor of modern unmanned systems. By around 2032, the Japan Self-Defense Forces are expected to establish a dedicated unit of multi-role unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
According to “Defence Blog”, under the defense budget for fiscal year 2026, Japan has allocated approximately$69.7 million for the purchase of five wide-area UAVs for the Ground Self-Defense Force. This marks the first concrete step in the gradual retirement of AH-64D Apache and AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters, whose reconnaissance and strike missions will be taken over by unmanned systems.
The budget does not limit procurement to unarmed platforms. The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the new drones are intended to detect surface and ground targets at long ranges, gather intelligence necessary for battlefield assessment, and direct fire. Among the leading candidates are two systems already proven in testing: the Turkish Bayraktar TB2S and the Israeli Heron Mk II. Other options under consideration include the American Gray Eagle 25M and a domestic VTOL project.
According to Japanese sources, drones are significantly cheaper to purchase and operate, do not expose personnel to risk, offer much longer flight endurance (several dozen hours compared to a few hours for helicopters), and can operate over long distances thanks to satellite communications and advanced sensors.